The Golf Gypsy--KICKS THE OLD WOMAN OUT

Letty and Hayden 2022 Celebration Golf 2022

In the heat of this summer, on a 100 degree day I found something I had lost a decade ago. I noticed it on the first hole at The Trails Golf Course when my drive nearly reached the creek. I couldn’t believe my eyes when we pulled up beside the ball and I had the longest, not the shortest drive of the threesome. Smiling inwardly my voice emitted a slight grunt of accomplishment. On hole #14 my body, usually tired, sweaty, and limp after thirteen holes of golf I realized that I hadn’t lost it. My swing felt young, my step felt light and springy. I hit my second shot onto the green pin high. Walking up to the green with putter in hand I felt younger but the temperature was climbing to 102 and the heat index blazing in RED. What exactly had I found? Where did this distance come from?

The sixteenth hole, a par three over water, over a winding drainage ditch, and between two bunkers filled with sand, a player may find the green at a 130-160 (195 for men) yards away. I had become so weakened with old tight tired muscles and lazy butt syndrome that I often pulled out a club that carried the water and gave me an opportunity for a decent chip shot to the green. Lately, I’ve been bolder and daring, like those decades of being 10—65 years old. At 74 I’ve felt my age and let it shrink me inside and out.

I stepped up and envisioned my tee shot flying to the green. I settled into my ready golf position, slowly swinging the club back, and allowing my hips to turn back right, with hips and legs working together then pulled the arms and club downward to contact, and through to the target, and on upwards until I completed a full swing.  My eyes briefly saw the ball land on the green. Instantly, I jerked back to my ready golf position and wiggled and jiggled over the ball, relaxing. My feet danced. I knew what I had lost had been found.

My legs and hips were stronger. My core was tighter. I felt muscles pulling the club downward and muscles pushing it forward and my feet vibrated with energy at contact. I nearly danced a jig on that tee box realizing that I had SHUT THE DOOR AND KEPT THE OLD WOMAN OUT, at last. The fact that my tee shot was on the green in regulation added to my delight.

Having played golf most of my life, I have spent many hours since 2008 in and out of physical therapy, all of which have kept me walking and playing golf. The last few years I could see and feel that I was not progressing nor getting stronger. I vowed to remain active not matter what.

Last fall I quit playing golf. I hurt, too much and the pain caused stress that my body could no longer handle and remain healthy. I continued to walk and stretch regularly but noticed that I could not strengthen nor relax my muscles, the old woman was taking control.

Then I learned about “pelvic floor exercises."  I had these issues and a few more, with which many of us over 70 are facing.

Symptoms Treatable by Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

• Difficulty with normal activities such as, sitting, rising from a chair, standing or walking 
• Difficulty with recreational activities 
• Pain in the groin, buttock, low back, hip, sacroiliac or abdominals 

P T Central in Norman, Ok

Step up strengthening, helps lift the foot off the ground. 

Psoas stretch, helps to life the legs for steps and loosening hips for turning. 

In mid-May I began weekly appointments with a PT Doctor who specialized in pelvic floor issues. By July the gentle work she performed on me loosened my tight hamstrings. We then began to work on the hips, lower back, and the connecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and surrounding tissues.

*I highly recommend needling to loosen our tight muscles.

I can jump, not high, but I can get off the floor. I didn’t realize as I grew older that one day I would not be able to play hop-scotch, jump rope or that my muscles would be so tight that I lost all flexibility to be physically playful. In two and half months of 3-5 workouts weekly I’ve regained what I lost. I have two sets of workouts at home: Odd days and Even days. I use stretching, 2-5 pound weights, and stretch bands. Stretch bands and home health workout.

Like the old commercial, Relief is Just a Swallow Away 1958 or in my case “relief is just a knotted muscle away.”  (If nothing else laughter is the best medicine and these old videos will cause hysterics.)

My youthful exercise guru, Denise Austin, now 65 years old still exercises regularly but not like she did in her 40’s and 50’s. She writes, “I’ve always said there are three important elements of fitness, and I do them every week: cardio, strength training, and flexibility: cardio I walk, no more high-energy aerobics; strength training involves light weights and resistance bands; I maintain my flexibility by doing some form of stretching every day.”

If physical therapy is not an option then at least consider using a tennis ball to roll away those knots in the hips, buttocks, lower back, and leg muscles. Place the ball on the tight spot on your leg, hip, or buttocks area. Back into or lean into a wall keeping the ball between you and the wall. Doing squats or slide movements, roll the ball up and down or around stopping each time you come to knot or painful location. Stop rolling, lean into the knot to release the tension, letting the ball press into the muscle. I only do this for a short period of time once or twice a week, but it does give the muscles release of deep tissue massage.

Above all else: Release the tension and build up strength to KEEP THE OLD WOMAN or MAN OUT.

Tennis Ball Therapy use these ideas on the floor or on the wall, which ever is easier. 

Tennis Ball Therapy